Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalHispanic Heritage MonthIMDb Stars to WatchSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
IMDbPro

Three Monks

Original title: San ge he shang
  • 1980
  • 19m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
490
YOUR RATING
Three Monks (1980)
AnimationShort

Tale of three monks living in a hilltop monastery.Tale of three monks living in a hilltop monastery.Tale of three monks living in a hilltop monastery.

  • Director
    • Jingda Xu
  • Writer
    • Lei Bao
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.7/10
    490
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Jingda Xu
    • Writer
      • Lei Bao
    • 3User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins total

    Photos108

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 101
    View Poster

    User reviews3

    7.7490
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    8Hitchcoc

    Water Enough?

    Three monks, each of different size and temperament live on hilltop monastery. The need to go down to the sea to get water, but they are inefficient and lazy., wanting to drink but not wanting to help. Resentment begins to rear its head as they all act individually. There is a life lesson here and it doesn't take long to realize it.
    zzmale

    Excellent social satire that still applies today.

    The literal translation of the title of this movie is: three monks.

    This animation is a masterpiece of social satire and although it was made nearly a quarter century ago, its criticism still applies today. The hidden target of criticism is the massive Chinese bureaucracy that are extremely inefficient and ineffective: so many people are hired but nobody does any job because everyone wanted somebody else to do the job, just like the way those three monks expecting others to get the water.

    This animation is unique in that unlike most animations, it does an excellent job of getting its point across without any spoken words, the audience who does not speak any Chinese can easily understand it just as good as Chinese.

    Best Emmys Moments

    Best Emmys Moments
    Discover nominees and winners, red carpet looks, and more from the Emmys!

    More like this

    The Snow Child
    7.4
    The Snow Child
    Where is Mama?
    7.6
    Where is Mama?
    Nine-Colored Deer
    7.6
    Nine-Colored Deer
    The Legend of Sealed Book
    7.8
    The Legend of Sealed Book
    Feng Shui
    7.7
    Feng Shui
    Skhizein
    8.0
    Skhizein
    Blade Runner: Black Out 2022
    7.3
    Blade Runner: Black Out 2022
    Dimensions of Dialogue
    8.1
    Dimensions of Dialogue
    Monkeys Fish the Moon
    7.2
    Monkeys Fish the Moon
    The Piano Tuner
    8.0
    The Piano Tuner
    Miss Granny
    7.2
    Miss Granny
    Initial D
    6.4
    Initial D

    Related interests

    Daveigh Chase, Rumi Hiiragi, and Mari Natsuki in Spirited Away (2001)
    Animation
    Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)
    Short

    Storyline

    Edit

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • 1980 (China)
    • Country of origin
      • China
    • Also known as
      • Die drei Mönche
    • Production company
      • Shanghai Animation Film Studio
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 19m

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.